Wireless local area networks are being deployed in large-scale service areas using mesh networking. Mesh networking can utilize mesh points (MPs) to establish a mesh backhaul infrastructure. For example, the IEEE P802.11s/D1.00 specification describes mesh points as devices that support WLAN mesh services, i.e. they participate in the formation and operation of the mesh network. The mesh points can establish a mesh backhaul infrastructure based on establishing peer-to-peer wireless links between each mesh point, and establishing a tree topology that is “rooted” by a “mesh portal”: the mesh portal is a mesh point that has a wired link for reaching a wide area network. Mesh points that also serve as “access points” for wireless client devices are referred to as “Mesh Access Points” (MAPs). The distribution of the mesh points can extend wireless coverage of the WLAN over a larger coverage area for wireless user devices.
Mesh networking utilizes routing protocols that enable mesh path selection and forwarding of data packets at the link layer. For example, the IEEE P802.11s specification defines a default mandatory routing protocol (Hybrid Wireless Mesh Protocol, or HWMP). Another example mesh network utilizes a protocol known as Adaptive Wireless Path Protocol (AWP), available for example in the commercially available Cisco Aironet 1500 Series Outdoor Mesh Access Point by Cisco Systems, San Jose, Calif.